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Cardinal Sean Brady To Stay After Catholic Child Abuse Cover Up

by Paul Conneally | May 18, 2010 at 10:37 pm

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Catholic Cardinal Sean Brady Under Attack

Cardinal Sean Brady is resisting calls for him to resign as head of the Catholic church in Ireland after widespread claims that he was involved in a cover up of child abuse by a paedophile priest.

Cardinal Brady issued an official statement yesterday, 18th May 2010, that his intention was to remain leader of Catholics in Ireland.

In March 2010 investigations into allegations against Father Brendan Smyth showed that Cardinal Brady was present when abuse victims were asked to sign vows of silence about the activities of Father Smyth in 1979. After the revelations Cardinal Brady said that he would take time to reflect on his future and yesterday announced his intention to stay in post.

Survivors Of Catholic Child Abuse Speak Out

John Kelly, speaking on behalf of Survivors of Child Abuse, said of Cardinal Brady's refusal to resign that this was an act of "a decent man who has not done the decent thing".

Many feel that unless responsibility for covering up child abuse carried out by Catholic priests in the past is not taken on board by senior church leaders and new leadership installed then real change can't happen. Others within the Catholic church, such as Father Iggy O'Donovan, believe that Cardinal Brady is still the best placed man to take things forward.

Cardinal Brady said:

"I feel that I have to do what I'm called to do, what I'm placed here to do"